Both Sides of the Table

MAY 9, 2018

I then had to review a nefarious IP lawsuit filed against another company and help the CEO figure out whether we should just pay it or join forces with the other companies named and fight it. In our last meeting you asked me about our cohorts and why retention went down. Your job is to break the convention.

Software Review 381

Software Review Churn Rate Due Diligence New York 381

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 17, 2019

Defensible IP When I’m asked by newer, younger VC partners for advice on our sector, one of the things I always emphasize is looking for companies who have built defensible intellectual property (IP). Defensible IP becomes insanely valuable?—?particularly Over the past 2.5 particularly as you achieve scale.

IP 223

IP Intellectual Property IRR Cofounder 223

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

If you spent the 3 years perfecting some hugely differentiated technology IP that may also be different. They got a bigger office space so their employees would feel comfortable and they could improve employee retention. If you had huge customer growth but just didn’t focus on revenue that’s a different story.

Startup 418

Startup Revenue Technical Review Flash 418

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 2, 2015

Stock option top-ups after a few years are vital retention mechanisms. Legal threats from other IP holders? than to have to deal with healthcare benefit options, vacation policies, health-and-safety regulations and so forth. Yet being a buttoned up company requires all this. And it turns out that employee reviews matter.

Operations 150

Operations Metrics Early Stage Non-Compete 150

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 13, 2018

And as you become a later stage company in fund raising you’ll likely have several follow up decks to discuss things like: Unit economics LTV / CAC analyses Cohort analyses Retention rates (SaaS) or repurchase rates (eCommerce) etc. Compelling. Visually stunning (in this day and age this is becoming a sine qua non ).

Portfolio 261

Portfolio IP Later Stage Email 261

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

When you account for competition for talent, the difficulty of retention, the cost of living and the difficulty of rising above the noise – there are many advantages of staying put. They have the same trade-off decisions that you do about packing up and moving to Silicon Valley vs. staying and building locally. Seattle has its patrons.

Seattle 317

Seattle Silicon Valley Technical Review Los Angeles 317